Detailed Action
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-10 are currently pending and have been considered below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-4, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US20210098751 A1) in view of Kim (US20090023058 A1) and Bushnell et al. (US20160093837 A1).
Regarding Claim 1: Kim ‘751 discloses an apparatus for folding a pouch case of a battery cell including a line forming unit configured to from a pre-folding line in a pouch wing prior to folding (paragraph [0009]- [0011]. Kim ‘751 further discloses an upper pressing surface and a lower pressing surface, wherein the upper pressing surface includes a protruding portion and the lower pressing surface includes an avoiding portion or groove configured to receive the protruding portion to form the pre-folding line. (paragraph [0012]- [0014]).
Kim ‘751 does not disclose that the pouch is a three-side sealed pouch including a shark fin and terraces, wherein the folding line is positioned between the shark fin and the terraces, and wherein the folding line corresponds to the sealing area of the terrace.
Kim ‘058 discloses a pouch type secondary battery including a pouch case having a sealing portion extending around three sides of the pouch (paragraph [0041]). Kim ‘058 further teaches wing portions covering opposing sides of the pouch and bent portions folded from the wing portions to cover opposing edges of the pouch (paragraph [0011]). Kim ‘058 teaches that the bent portions are folded from the wing portions at approximately a right angle and that spaces may be formed between the bent portions and the pouch edges (paragraph [0012]- [0013], [0048] Fig. 2 ). The wing portions reasonably correspond to the claimed “terraces”, while the bent portions reasonably correspond to the claimed “shark fins”.
Kim ‘751 and Kim ‘058 do not disclose that the folding line is located at least about 1 mm from the accommodation portion.
Bushnell discloses a pouch-type secondary battery in which a predetermined minimum distance is maintained between the electrode accommodating portion and the sealed portion of the pouch to preserve seal integrity. Bushnell teaches that the minimum threshold distance between the accommodation and the sealing region may be approximately 1mm to 5 mm (paragraph [0028], [0033], [0042], [0061]), thereby teaching and interval of 1 mm or more between the accommodation portion and the sealed region.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the folding apparatus of Kim ‘751 to employ the three side sealed pouch configuration having wing and bent portions as taught by Kim ‘058 and to position the folding line at a seal distance from the accommodations portion as taught by Bushnell, because such combination would have yielded no more than the predictable result of a more robust and reliable folded pouch structure. See KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 417, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1396 (2007).
Regarding Claim 2: Kim ‘751 discloses all the limitations of claim 1 as set forth above. Kim ‘751 further discloses a lower pressing surface configured to support the pouch material during the formation of the pre-folding line. Kim ‘751 teaches that the pouch wing is positioned on the lower pressing surface while the upper pressing surface presses the pouch wing to form the pre-folding line. Thus, the lower pressing surface functions as a forming processing surface on which the lower surfaces of the folded portions of the pouch are seated during the pre-forming operation (paragraph [0012]-[0013]).
Accordingly, Kim ‘751 teaches the additional limitation of claim 2.
Regarding Claim 3: Kim ‘751 discloses all the limitations of claim 1 as set forth above. Kim ‘751 further discloses that the lower pressing surface of the line forming unit includes and avoiding portion (groove) configured to receive the protruding portion of the upper pressing surface during the line forming operation. The groove extends along the region where the folding line is formed and cooperated with the protruding portion to plastically deform the pouch material, thereby forming the pre folding line (paragraph [], Fig ). The avoiding portion corresponds to the claimed concave folding line forming groove and because the groove extends along the direction in which the fold line is produced on the sealing portion of the pouch, Kim ‘751 teaches that the groove is formed in a longitudinal direction of the sealed surface, as recited. (See paragraph [], Fig. )
Accordingly, Kim ‘751 teaches the limitations of claim 3.
Regarding Claim 4: : Kim ‘751 discloses all the limitations of claim 1 as set forth above. Kim ‘751 further discloses that the line-forming process is performed using a heating pressing structure, wherein the lower pressing surface (lower mold) includes a heating element configured to heat the pouch during the formation of the pre-folding line (paragraph [], Fig. )
Accordingly, Kim ‘751 teaches the additional limitation of claim 4.
Regarding Claim 6: Kim ‘751 discloses all the limitations as set forth above. Kim ‘751 further discloses a protruding portion formed on the pressing surface of the upper forming member and configured to enter the corresponding avoiding portion or groove formed in the lower pressing surface during the line-forming operation. The protruding portion presses the pouch material into the groove to form the pre-folding line. Kim ’751 protruding portion corresponds to the claimed convex folding -line forming protrusion formed on the forming processing surface of the upper mold and configured to be inserted in the concave folding-line forming groove (paragraph [0011]- [0014], Fig. 6).
Accordingly, Kim ’751 teaches the additional limitations of claim 6.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US20210098751 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Oh et al. (KR101672402 B1). Machine translation is being used for the foreign references mentioned before.
Regarding Claim 5: Kim ‘751 discloses all the limitations of claim 1 as set forth above. Kim ‘751 does not disclose that the upper molds and the lower molds are jointly guided to the folding-line forming location and returned by an X-axis transfer means.
Oh discloses a pouch-type battery forming apparatus including a transfer mechanism configured to move cooperating upper and lower forming members together in the X-axis direction to processing position and to return the forming members after completion of the forming operation (paragraph [0017], [0023], [0027]- [0029]).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the folding apparatus of Kim ‘751 by incorporating the X-axis transfer mechanism taught by Oh. The proposed modification merely combines familiar elements according to known method to yield the predictable results of coordinated movement of the upper and lower molds to and from the folding -line forming location, thereby improving positioning accuracy and manufacturing efficiency. One of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success because the references are directed to compatible pouch type secondary battery manufacturing apparatuses employing cooperating molds. See KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 417, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1396 (2007).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US20210098751 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kim (KR101461134 B1). Machine translation is being used for the foreign references mentioned before.
Regarding Claim 7: Kim ‘751 discloses all the limitations of claim 1 as set forth above. Kim ‘751 does not disclose that a cross-sectional shape of one end or both of the ends of the folding-line forming protrusion is gradually reduced to a side surface of the upper mold.
Kim ‘134 discloses an upper guide including a starting portion, a transition portion and an ending portion, wherein the transition portion gradually change in height and surface inclination from the starting portion, thereby providing a progressively reduced cross-sectional profile toward the end of the forming guide (paragraph [0031- [0035]).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the folding like forming protrusion of Kim ’751 to include the gradually reduced end profile taught by Kim ‘134 because Kim ‘134 teaches that the gradually changing guide geometry enables the pouch edge to be folded quickly, accurately and easily while improving the strength and appearance of the pouch typer battery. See Kim ‘134 paragraph [0010]- [0011].
Claims 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US20210098751 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Park et al. (KR102217441 B1). Machine translation is being used for the foreign references mentioned before.
Regarding Claim 8: Kim ‘751 discloses all the limitations of claim 1 as set forth above. Kim ‘751 does not disclose a pressing area pressing the shark fins and the both terraces flatly is formed on an outer side of extension ends of the folding line forming protrusion and the folding line forming groove forming the extension end of the folding line is formed at a location adjacent to the front and rear ends of the sealed surface and the accommodation part.
Park discloses a first and second blocks that move toward one another to press an outer portion of a pouch sheet. Each pressing block includes a pressing surface and a localized bending forming portion formed on the pression surface, the bending forming portion including the corresponding convex portion and concave portions. The portions of the pressing surface surrounding and extending outside the bending-forming portions remains flat and press the outer portion of the pouch sheet during the formation of the bending portion (paragraph [0152]- [0155]).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the pressing arrangement of Park into Kim’751 to obtain the same wrinkle-prevention effect while forming the folding line, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding Claim 9: Kim ‘751 discloses all the limitations of claim 1 as set forth above. Kim ‘751 does not disclose heating elements installed inside the upper molds.
Park discloses a secondary battery pressing block including a first and second pressing block wherein heaters are installed inside the pressing blocks to transfer heat during the thermos compression process (paragraph [0156], Fig. 13-15).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Kim ‘751 to incorporate the heating elements taught by Park because Park teaches that the heaters transfer heat to the pressing blocks to heat-press the outer portion of the pouch sheet during formation of the bending portion. See Park paragraph [0017].
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US20210098751 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Cai. (CN102729458 B).
Regarding Claim 10: Kim ‘751 discloses all the limitations of claim 1 as set forth above. Kim ‘751 does not disclose that the upper molds are guided to a folding line forming location jointly with the lower molds by actuation of an X-axis transfer means, and moved down by actuation of a Z-axis transfer means, and press spaces between the shark fins seated on the forming processing surface and the terrace to bend and form the folding lines between the shark fins and the terrace, and moved up by the actuation of the Z-axis transfer means upon completing the forming of the folding line, and at the same time, returned by the actuation of the X-axis transfer means jointly with the lower molds.
Cai discloses a molding apparatus including an upper mold “601, a lower mold “602”, and upper-mold lifting mechanism “603” and a lower-mold translation mechanism “604” ( paragraph [0025], Fig. 1 and 3). The lower mold is translated horizontally along a guide rail to a processing position beneath the upper mold, after which the upper mold is lowered by the lifting mechanism to press the workpiece against the lower mold and subsequently raised following completion of the forming operation (paragraph [0023]-[0025], Fig. 2-3).
Under the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim language, Cai teaches guiding the upper and lower molds to the forming location by an X-axis transfer mechanism, lowering and raising the upper mold by a Z-axis transfer mechanism to perform the forming operation, and returning the molds following the completion of the operation.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Kim ’751 to incorporate the mold transfer arrangement taught by Cai because Cai teaches that the horizontal transfer mechanism positions the molds at the forming location while the vertical lifting mechanism performs the pressing operation, thereby enabling efficient loading, forming and unloading of the workpiece.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHALY M RESTO OQUENDO whose telephone number is (571)895-1575. The examiner can normally be reached 8am-5pm.
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/NMRO/Examiner, Art Unit 1725
/NICOLE M. BUIE-HATCHER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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